|
See Bill to
Delay Flood Insurance Premium Hikes
All because of:
Base Flood Elevation (BFE) - The base flood is the
1%-annual-chance flood, commonly called the "hundred year flood." Base
Flood Elevation is the water-surface elevation of the base flood. The
depth of the base flood can be calculated by subtracting the ground
elevation from the BFE. The probability is 1% that rising water will reach
BFE height in any year.
Building elevation in the:
-
A-zones is measured
at the top of the lowest floor.
-
V-zones is measured at the bottom of the lowest
horizontal structural member of the foundation. Enclosures that are lower than the living space may be
considered the "lowest floor" in some circumstances; machinery and
equipment located below the living space may raise insurance rates
The lucky one's are those REZONED to
blue which is "0.2 Pct" ( 500 year flood chance)
and actually is a zone X, which is
no Flood Insurance required.
Levee Certification
& Accreditation:
Levee Certification
vs.Accreditation
Meeting the Criteria for Accrediting Levee Systems on NFIP Flood Maps
Levee System Construction & Restoration Projects
Complying with 44 CFR 65.10 Levee System
Construction & Restoration Projects
("FEMA will only
accredit those levee systems that
meet, minimum design,
operation, and maintenance standards consistent with the 1% annual chance flood"
http://www.r9map.org/Documents/2nd_Rnd_FPM_Briefing1.pdf )
"The levee in our yard is at 7.6’
NAVD29.
We have been told it is around 3’, which makes it about 10.6’ NGVD88".
NGVD --> NAVD ?
MINUTES: Flood Risk
Review Meeting,
Marin
California Coastal Analysis and
Mapping
Project
-
San
Francisco Bay
Area Coastal Study
OVERVIEW:
DATEAND TIME:
January 17, 2013,10:00am to
12:30pm
-- Kathy
Schaefer
initiated the meeting by
welcoming the attendees and thanking them for staying with
us for
the
second
half of a
two-part meeting. The morning
meeting covered
the
Ross Valley and Mill
Valley
FEMA Study CCO Meeting.
This
meeting will cover
the San
Francisco
Bay
Area Coastal (BAC)
Study,
where
Marin County is the
first of the
nine Bay
Area counties
to have
a
Flood Risk Review (FRR)
meeting.
Kathy
noted
that FEMA would
return in approximately one year to conduct
the
CCO meeting
for the BAC Study.
Kathy
explained that the
purpose of the
FRR
meeting
was
to review
the
technical process and review
the
draft work
maps for the Marin County portion of the
BAC Study.
The meeting
also introduced
the communities
to an online tool
for
review and commenting on the work maps. Meeting attendees
introduced themselves.
MEETING
HIGHLIGHTS:
-
Provide a
brief
overview
of
the
National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) & Risk MAP
-
•
Provide
an
overview
of
the
San Francisco
Bay
Area
Coastal
Study
-
•
Discuss
coastal study process and methodology
-
•
Review and discuss the
draft Work Maps and the online tool for
review and comments
-
•
Discuss how the products can inform
decisions to
reduce flood risk
-
•
Learn how to communicate about flood risk using the
products and datasets
-
•
Answer
questions
PRESENTATION
AND
DISCUSSION
Overview
Kathy
Schaefer explained that FEMA actively promotes
their
Risk MAP (Mapping, Assessment and Planning)
program so communities
and community
officials are more aware of their
flood risk and how their
maps are changing.
FEMA encourages community
officials to
understand the flood risks
shown on the
maps
and to
begin assessing
what their
communities
can
do to reduce their
flood
risk.
The BAC Study was initiated in 2004 under
the Map Modernization program. The study was originally
divided into three areas:
-
1.
North
Bay,
with coastal
analysis led by
Northwest Hydraulic Consultants
(NHC);
-
2.
Central
Bay and
-
3. South
Bay,
with
the
coastal analysis
led
by
BakerAECOM.
BakerAECOM
manages the
overall work
effort
in close
concert
with
Kathy.
The
BAC Study
is now progressing on a
county-by-county schedule,
with
Marin
County as the first
county
to
have a
FRR
meeting.
In addition
to the
BAC Study, Marin
County has
two additional
FEMA studies
in
progress:
-
1.
the Ross
Valley/Mill
Valley
Study
(addressed
earlier in
the
meeting), and
the
-
2.
Open Coast Study
which
is analyzing
the coastal
hazards along the entire California
open coast.
As
part of the
Risk MAP program, Congress
directed
FEMA
to analyze
and
map
and 100
percent
of the
populated
coast. Marin is the
first
county
along the
coast to be studied –
both by the
BAC Study and by the
Open Coast Study.
The
Open Coast Study
will
schedule a
separate
FRR
meeting
Marin
when their coastal analysis and
draft
work
maps
are
complete.
The
timeline
for the
BAC Study is similar to
the
Ross Valley Study timeline that was
discussed during
the
Community Coordination
Officer (CCO
meeting, just prior
to the
Flood Risk Review (FRR) meeting.
The BAC Study is currently in
the floodplain mapping stage,
which includes
the development of
work
maps.
The
draft
work maps
will be available for
comments.
After
comments are received and reviewed,
BakerAECOM
will
produce
the
Preliminary
Flood
Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
for the
affected coastal
panels.
The
BAC
brochure
pdf
includes a
graphic that highlights the
affected
panels. The brochure is also
available
on
www.r9coastal.org.
The floodplain
mapping
for
the Marin
County portion
of the
BAC Study will be complete in March
2013
(approximate).
Preliminary
FIRMs will be
issued in Sept
2013
and the
Consultation Coordination Officer (CCO) or (Pre-FIRM)
meeting will occur around October
2013 (approximate).
Kathy
encouraged communities
to review their
maps before the
maps become effective and the letter
of
final
determination (LFD) is issued. Communities should
approach
FEMA
before the
LFD because
FEMA
has
greater ability
to address issues during this time.
No changes can
be made following the
LFD
without
going
through the
formal Letter
of Map Change process.
The
projected Effective
date
is March
2014. The updated schedule will be
posted
on
www.r9coastal.org.
Coastal Study Process
Kris
May
introduced herself as the study manager
for BakerAECOM and
introduced
key
members of the study team.
The BAC brochure has
contact information for all
key
study
members printed on the back.
Kris
discussed the
technical study process.
The
process starts
with
data acquisition,
as the
accuracy
of
the
study is based on
data
that feeds into the
analysis and
mapping. The
BAC Study utilizes
the
2010
USGS
and
NOAA
LIDAR data
and
the most
up-to-date
bathymetric data
currently
available.
Regional
modeling
is the
second step of
study process. The regional modeling incorporates: surge (the tidal
water levels of
the bay);
seas (local
wind-generated waves); and swell
(long period waves
from
the Pacific Ocean). These are
all
processes that contribute to coastal flooding
in Marin County.
The regional models
were calibrated
to
13
large storms
in the
San Francisco Bay area,
and the
simulations
span
a
31-year period.
The BAC Study uses a
response-based approach because the processes act
independently (extreme high tides are independent of large
wind-driven waves) –
unlike the east coast which experiences
hurricanes
where
all
forces
act
concurrently. San
Francisco
Bay is a
complex
area
for
completing coastal
hazard analyses – there
are complicated shoreline geometries,
vertical
walls,
revetments,
natural shorelines,
marshes,
etc. Transect layouts
were established at a
density
required to capture
coastal flooding –
and
the
layout considers
the complex shorelines, as well as inland
land
use,
wave
dynamics,
and
other factors.
The 1-dimensional
coastal
hazard analyses
rely on model output from the regional
models. Along each transect, the primary factors controlling flooding are:
the 100-year stillwater
elevation (e.g.,
extreme
high tide)
which typically controls
the inland
extent
of inundation, and wave processes
which can dictate the
Special
Flood
Hazard Area (SFHA),
such as a
VE
Zone
that has
a wave
height greater than 3
feet.
The type of analysis
(wave run-up
vs. overland wave propagation)
that is
done along each transect is dictated
by the shoreline type and topography.
Wave run-up and overtopping
analyses
are
done
in areas with steep slopes
and structures. The run-up
methods
follow FEMA’s
Pacific Guidelines
(link will be available on
www.r9coastal.org). Overland wave propagation is completed along transects with
flatter topographies, such as over marshes and
agricultural fields.
For overland
wave propagation, the analysis
considers two scenarios that
contain the
maximum envelope
of wave hazards
–
one
scenario
pairs a
100-year stillwater elevation
with an appropriate wave height so that
the total
water level
equals the 100-year
wave crest elevation. The second scenario
pairs a 100-year
wave height with
an appropriate stillwater
level so
that the total
water level
also equals the 100-year
wave
crest elevation. The
combination of these
scenarios appropriately maps the inland extent of flooding
and the
wave hazards
that
can
translate
into
SFHAs.
Stillwater elevation is a
water level
and does not
include
waves.
Extreme
value analysis
(EVA) is used to
determine the 100-year
stillwater
elevation, or
the 1% annual chance flood elevation.
Wind-driven waves are
considered separately.
Several audience
questions ensued at
this time see Questions and
Answers
below.
Online Work
Map Commenting Tool
The Online Work Map Commenting Tool
(Tool)
is new
and
is intended to
help communities view and comment on the work
maps in detail.
Unlike traditional
paper work maps, the communities
can zoom in and
view the
maps at
the individual property level
if desired. The Tool
will also help
FEMA collect
and synthesize comments
within
one cohesive
database. Marin County is the
first FRR meeting for
the
BAC Study, therefore
Marin is the
pilot and first community to use
the
Tool.
All
of the
work
maps
will
be posted online within a
GIS
environment.
The community will
have specific user
logins and password to
view the
maps
within a
secure
environment.
FEMA wants each
person
who
wants
to comment
to have their
own
login and
password
so that
comments can
be recorded accurately
for
the record.
All
of
the
comments
will be recorded
and
archived.
The
comments
should
pertain
to the
quality
and accuracy
of
mapping. The
work maps will be available
online for 30
days
for communities
to review and
comment. The
work maps should be available to Marin County
in
February
or March. FEMA
will request
user names
and
email
addresses
for
all
users that wish
to review
and comment
on the
work
maps.
The comments will be taken into consideration as
the
mapping enters production.
Online Work Map Review Demonstration
James Johnston,
GIS
Manager, BakerAECOM
provided a
demonstration of the
tool
with Kathy Schaefer.
The “pin
icon”
in the tool will
allow users
to
comment
anywhere and the comments will be tagged to
the user, archived, and
saved. Meeting
participants were invited
to walk-through the
work
maps
(test
out) the tool following the presentation.
James
provided a
brief introduction to
the “widgets”
to show how comments get cataloged.
The version
presented may
change: labels
may
be adjusted, datasets
may
change, and features
improved. It was
also
noted that riverine tie-ins will be
included
by the time
the
data/tool becomes
available to the communities to make comments. The tool presentation continued from Novato south along the shoreline to
the Golden
Gate
Bridge.
A
participant
noted
that
Novato
has
the only accredited
levees
in
Marin
County.
It was
shown on the
tool
that the
City
of
Novato does not
have a
lot
of major changes
to their mapping. It
was
noted
that Costco currently has a
LOMR but may be
mapped back into
the floodzone under
the revised BAC Study
mapping.
Several audience
questions ensued at
this time see Questions and
Answers
below.
Outreach
and Communication
Lisa
Messano, Outreach Coordinator, BakerAECOM,
discussed outreach
relative
to the
BAC Study.
Outreach
is an essential component of the
Risk MAP
program. It’s important
for
the
community
to come together
to convey
a consistent
message to their
communities
about flood risk and why the flood risks
may
be changing. Research shows
that people
are more
willing to prepare and/or
mitigate
flood risks
if
they feel
it was
“their
idea,” therefore it is important
that people
understand their flood risk,
what they
are being asked to do,
and how
they should respond. People
will come
together and
take action to reduce flood risks.
FEMA has conducted nationwide surveys
on flood risk awareness. The surveys
show that
homeowners
want their city officials
to
deliver
the flood risk message. Public
Works Departments and floodplain
administrators
need to
work with their City Council and
mayors to
get
the
right
messages out. Tools and
guidance are available
to
help achieve consistent messaging.
Examples that can
help local officials
share
flood risk information include: adding information to community websites, publications
for building
owners on reducing risk,
letters or brochures, and
media
materials such as press
releases.
Two-way
communication throughout the
Risk MAP study
process
is important
–
in
order to reach
Risk MAP
goals,
enhanced community
engagement is
required.
The
FRR meeting
is part of
Risk
MAP’s new
meetings guidance.
Lisa noted
that the
study is in the
Flood Risk Review meeting
stage
where
the
purpose is to
introduce
the
technical
data
and
analysis. The
Preliminary
FIRM/Open
House
meeting
will
be held in October
2013 (approximately)
after
the
Preliminary
FIRMs are released.
Typically,
the Preliminary FIRM meeting is held in the
morning
with community officials, and
the Open House meeting
is
held in
the
evening for
residents. The
Open
House
meeting will
include several
stations
that residents
can
visit
to
get
information.
Lisa
suggested
that
Message maps can
help with
consistent
messaging
when city council,
news agencies, residents,
or mayors come to
you
for
information.
A
message map
would include several “key
messages” that respond to specific
questions
or concerns, along with additional
supporting information. These
can serve as a
quick reference or pocket
guide so that everyone conveys
a consistent
message.
FEMA has
many
tools
and resources
to help.
The
FEMA
online library,
www.fema.gov/about-fema-
library
has
information on mapping,
Letter of Map
Change
(LOMC)
guidance
documents, flood insurance,
floodplain management.
1-877-FEMA-Map can
also provide you with
guidance and documents. Coastal Beat
(quarterly E-newsletter) also provides study information and
updates, and
information
on future webinar
or meeting
information.
Templates
are also available on
www.r9coastal.org
such as the
Community
Outreach
Plan
Template
(BakerAECOM/FEMA will be
available
to help
communities
tailor the template
to
meet
the needs
of your community
as you
know your
community
best),
Press Release, Open House
materials.
Hazard
Mitigation Planning
Hazard
Mitigations
Plans
are a foundation for
a
long-term strategy to reduce
disaster losses increase risk-
based decision
making.
Hazard
Mitigation Planning
is part of the
Risk MAP process.
The
BAC Study identifies the risks; the next steps are about
assessing risk and vulnerability using the coastal flood hazard
data the BAC Study will provide, communicating risks, and
mitigating risks.
Currently, some
Marin communities have
expired Hazard
Mitigation Plans,
and
two
do not
have a
plan
prepared. Juliette
Hayes,
FEMA Region IX (not present)
is interested in working
with
the
hazard
mitigation coordinators to
integrate
Hazard Mitigation
Planning
within the planning
process.
FEMA
would
like
the
names
of these
staff
members
so that Juliette can
begin
these
conversations.
Michael
Hornick
noted:
communities
have a
financial
burden
defined in the Disaster
Mitigation Act of
2000. He
expressed that FEMA-approved
Hazard Mitigation Plans are
coordinated through CalEMA. Communities with approved
Hazard Mitigation Plans
will be more successful in
recovering from a disaster.
Long term
disaster planning grants (such as
road improvement) will not be available
to
communities
that do not have a
Hazard
Mitigation Plan approved. Resilience is tied
to repair
costs.
Be
aware
–
meet with your
emergency services
officer.
Updating
Hazard Mitigation
Plans
every five
years improves your opportunities
and success with
post-disaster
planning. FEMA,
CalEMA and ABAG all
have resources available to help.
Next Steps:
FEMA:
finalize
the
analyses
and
mapping
and
post to
www.r9coastal.org.
After reviewing comments on the
work
maps, Preliminary
FIRMs will be produced
and
FEMA will hold a
Preliminary
FIRM/Open
House
meeting.
Community
Officials: review and comment on the work maps; tailor
the
outreach
plan to determine
how communities
will
communicate
flood
risk
to
their
residents
(be
sure
to include information to
outreach
to homeowners
on attached and detached docks); begin communicating about flood risk to residents; set a
separate
insurance meeting (most likely a
few
months down the road); and
initiate
Hazard Mitigation Planning.
|
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Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act March 21, 2014
This law repeals and modifies certain
provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act,
which was enacted in 2012, and makes
additional program changes to other aspects of the program not covered by
that Act. Many provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act
remain and are still being
implemented.
Nov 21 2013
Prospects Dim for Bills to Delay Flood Insurance Rate Hikes
Efforts to delay implementation of changes
in the federal flood insurance program have run into roadblocks on both
sides of Capitol Hill. The leaders of the House Financial Services
Committee say they are standing behind last year’s bipartisan legislation.
About 1.1 million homeowners — or 1 in 5 in the program — have received
taxpayer-subsidized rates and the government has financed about 60 percent
of losses on their properties. Most people can retain the subsidies but
can’t pass them along to people buying their home, a restriction that’s
especially burdensome to lower-income older homeowners seeking to sell
their houses.
The changes also promise to make it unaffordable for people in chronic
flood zones to keep their homes, and they have put a damper on home sales
in areas where benefits extended to current homeowners can’t be passed
along to prospective buyers.
Nationwide
Movement against FEMA.
CBS News "premiums up 1,000%"
FEMA chief says he can't stop flood insurance rate
increases 09/18/13
NYT: The New Flood Insurance Disaster
West Virginia
EVERYBODY will eventually have their
Flood Insurance premium INCREASE
( tho some can keep their subsidy)
in the case of Santa Venetia it is going up to
around $10,500!
Santa
Venetia is split between Maps 4 and 3 You will
see we are ZONE AE(EL10)
which means a BFE 10 feet (and we used to be 9 feet)
From a resident of Santa Venetia who
lives between Vendola and Adrian, almost at Meadow. So if it (excluding
subsidy) applies to him it will apply to almost all
un-raised properties in Santa Venetia:-
Since we are
currently at elevation of 9.23’ – almost a foot too low, as the law
currently stands, our insurance costs,
starting in 2015, will be about $10,700 a year!
If we raised the
house to > 10’, then it would drop to about $1,600 per year (about what it
is now). (But of course, just 5 years ago we raised the house 3
inches, leveling it, to be > 9’ – which was the old minimum
level. Not that it did us any good. The ground around the
house is at 8', ie – the foundation is still under the old BFE. Only
the ground floor and all the mechanics (furnace, garage, etc) is at 9’ 3”.
So, as they said – it lowered my rates, but did not remove the
requirement.
From the NGVD88, 8 feet below my house is about the height
of low tide)
The woman
representing the insurance last night indicated that this is an unexpected
consequence of how the law was written, and she expects it to be blown up
by the public, and in Congress, and get fixed. But over $10k is how
the law currently reads.
Its apparently up to Congress to fix the extreme increases
caused by the law change.
From:
FEMA Marin
http://www.r9map.org/Pages/ProjectDetailsPage.aspx?choloco=21&choProj=231
FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas - Video Flyover of
Google Earth Overlay Santa
Venetia, Marin County or just Flyover yourself
(notice better overlay settings than FEMA's)
left click on overlay for a popup showing the zone in that
location.
LEGEND:
Levees - salmon color
ZONE CHANGE is blue
SFHA INCREASE - yellow
SFHA DECREASE
- green
( SFHA=
Special Flood Hazard Areas )
http://www.fema.gov/final-levee-analysis-and-mapping-approach has a link to
"National Levee Database" "Find Levees near me" "Maps" and a FEMA tab with
FEMA Floodplains & Zones checkboxes—plus NLD checkboxes for levees --good
luck with that.
The Zones:
blue( zone change) and
green( Special Flood Hazard Area DECREASE)
have become a ZONE called "0.2Pct" which I assume is a "500 YEAR"
zone ( not expected to flood more than every 500 years.)
But the
yellow( Special
Flood Hazard Area INCREASE) shows zone of
AE which means an
insurance rate increase is coming.
(The Google Earth OVERLAY TITLE for ZONES is instead
called "
" and a ZONE called "0.2Pct" does not exist on the list of
FIRM Zones
( see below)
number of policies "subsidized" by county
MARININFO's QUESTIONS
to: Ms. Schaefer at (510) 627-7129, e-mail at
Kathleen.Schaefer@fema.dhs.gov Raymond Lenaburg, Risk Analysis Branch
Chief, at (510) 627-7181,
email at
Raymond.Lenaburg@fema.dhs.gov
Looking at
Meeting Minutes
From link: "San
Francisco Bay Area Coastal " on
http://www.r9map.org/Pages/San-Francisco-Coastal-Bay-Study.aspx
takes us to
http://www.r9map.org/Pages/ProjectDetailsPage.aspx?choLoco=21&choProj=231
----
Where on this page can we find the
CCAMP / BAC study
and
Flood Insurance Study?:
(the Minutes says:
"This site was established to provide info
about the CCAMP / BAC study")
----
the link
"San Francisco Bay
Area Coastal " returns us to
the same page.
On the MAP
OVERLAY for Google Earth
-
left
click on overlay (ZONE CHANGE
&
SFHA
INCREASE and DECREASE)
for a
popup telling us the new zone
-
I know
that the Santa Venetia levee is ignored and treated as just a
berm, but still, -- parts of it are missing from this overlay.
-
What exactly will
affect our FEMA Insurance Premiums and by
how much?
-
How does it make
sense for only SOME parts of the same levee to
be DECREASED ?
-
Where is
the
Flood Insurance Study
(FIS)
report that
accompanies the
RATE map?
The
California Coastal Analysis and
Mapping Project (CCAMP) / Bay Area Coastal (BAC) Study
involves new coastal flood hazard mapping and base-flood elevation BFE
determinations
MEETINGS 6:30
-8:30
- Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Bacich School community
room, 699 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield
- Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sausalito City Council
Chambers, 420 Litho St., Sausalito
1. What
is the
Biggert-Waters
Flood
Insurance
Reform
Act
of
2012?
Answer: The
Biggert-Waters
Flood
Insurance Reform Act
of
2012 (BW-12)
is a
law
passed
by
Congress
and signed
by
the
President in
2012
that
extends
the National
Flood
Insurance
Program (NFIP)
for
five
years, while requiring significant
program reform.
The
law requires changes
to
all major components
of
the
program,
including
flood insurance,
flood
hazard mapping,
grants,
and
the management
of
floodplains. Many
of the changes
are
designed
to make
the
NFIP more
financially stable,
and
ensure
that
flood insurance rates more
accurately reflect
the real risk
of
flooding.
The changes
will
be phased
in
over time,
beginning
this
year.
2. Why
was the
Biggert-Waters
Reform
Act
of
2012
passed?
Answer:
Flooding
has
been,
and continues
to
be, a serious risk
in the United
States—so serious
that most insurance companies
have specifically
excluded
flood
damage
from homeowners
insurance.
To
address
the
need,
in
1968 the U.S.
Congress
established
the
NFIP
as a
Federal program.
It
enabled
property
owners
in participating communities
to
purchase
flood
insurance
if the community adopted
floodplain management
ordinances
and minimum standards
for
new construction.
However,
owners
of
existing
homes
and
businesses
did
not
have
to rebuild
to
the higher standards,
and many received subsidized rates
that
did
not reflect
their
true risk.
Over the
years,
the costs
and consequences
of
flooding
have continued
to
increase.
For
the
NFIP
to remain sustainable, its premium structure must reflect
the
true risks
and costs
of
flooding. This
is a
primary
driver
for many
of
the
changes required
under
the
law.
Insurance
Cost/Rate Questions
3.
What changes to
insurance
operations
are
anticipated?
Answer: Many
of the
proposed changes
are
designed
to increase
the
fiscal soundness
of
the
NFIP.
For example,
beginning
this
year
there
will
be changes
addressing
rate subsidies
and a
new
Reserve
Fund charge
will start
being
assessed.
There
are
also
provisions to
adjust premium rates
to more
accurately reflect
flood risk.
Other
provisions
of the
law
address coverage modifications
and claims
handling. Studies
will
be conducted
to
address issues
of
affordability,
privatization,
and reinsurance,
among
other topics.
4. Will
all
policyholders
see
changes
in
insurance rates
as a result of
BW-12?
More
than
80
percent
of policyholders (representing
approximately
4.48 million
of the
5.6 million policies
in
force)
do
not
pay subsidized rates.
About
20
percent
of
all
NFIP
policies
pay subsidized rates.
Only a
portion
of those
policies
that are currently
paying subsidized
premiums
will see
larger premium
increases
of
25% annually starting
this
year,
until
their
premiums
are
full-risk
premiums.
Five
percent
of
policyholders –
those
with subsidized
policies
for:
·
non-primary residences,
·
businesses,
and
·
severe repetitive
loss
properties
-
will see
the
25%
annual
increases
immediately. .
Subsidies
are
already being
phased
out
for non-primary residences. Starting
this
fall, subsidies
will
be
phased
out
for
businesses;
properties
of
one
to
four residences that
have
experienced severe repetitive
loss;
and
properties
that
have incurred
flood-related
damages
where claims
payments
exceed
the
fair market
value
of the
property. Premiums
for
these
properties
will
increase
by
25%
per
year
until
they reach
the
full risk rate.
Subsidies
will
no
longer
be offered
for policies covering
·
newly
purchased
properties,
·
lapsed
policies,
or
·
new
policies covering
properties
for
the
first
time.
The
80%
of
all
NFIP
policies that
already
pay
full-risk
premiums
will
not see
these large
premium
increases.
Most
policyholders
will see a
new charge
on
their
premiums
to cover
the
Reserve
Fund
assessment
that
is mandated
by
BW-12.
Initially, there
will
be a 5%
assessment
to
all
policies
except
Preferred Risk
Policies (PRPs).
The Reserve
Fund will
increase
over time
and
will
also
be
assessed
on
PRPs
at some
undetermined
future
date.
Additional changes
to
premium rates
will
occur
upon remapping,
the
provision calling
for
these
premium rate changes
will
not
be implemented
until
the
latter
half
of
2014.
5.
In general,
which
properties
will
be most affected
by
changes
in rates?
Answer:
Rate changes
will
have
the
greatest
effect
on
properties
located
within a
Special
Flood
Hazard
Area (SFHA)
that
were constructed
before a community
adopted its
first
Flood
Insurance Rate
Map (FIRM)
and
have
not been
elevated.
For many communities
the
initial
FIRM
would
have
been
adopted in
the
1970’s
and
1980’s.
Your local
insurance
agent
will
be able
to
provide
you
the
initial
FIRM
date
for
your community.
Many
of these
pre-FIRM
properties
have
been receiving subsidized rates.
Subsidies
are
not
being
phased
out
for
existing
policies covering
primary residences. However,
the subsidy
provided
to
primary residences could still
be
lost
under conditions that
apply
to
all subsidized
policies.
Subsidies
will
be
immediately
phased
out
for
all
new
and
lapsed
policies and upon
sale
of the
property.
There may
also
be
premium changes
for policyholders
after
their community is remapped.
But
that
provision
of the
Act
is
still
under review
and
will
be
implemented in the
future.
6. What
happens if a
policy
with
subsidized rates
is
allowed to
lapse
or the
property
is
sold?
Answer:
Starting
this
fall,
for
all currently subsidized
policies, there
will
be
an
immediate
increase
to
the
full risk rates
for all
new
and
lapsed
policies
and
upon
the
sale/purchase
of a
property.
Full risk rates will
be charged
to
the
next
owner
of
the
policy.
7. What
does
“full risk rate”
actually mean?
Answer:
Simply
put,
it
means that
the
premium reflects
both
the risk
assumed
by
the
program (that is,
the
expected
average
claims
payment)
and
all
administrative
expenses.
In
the case
of
flood insurance,
this means the
premium
takes
into
account
the
full range
of
possible
flood
losses, including
the rare
but catastrophic
floods
as
well.
8.
How
can
someone find
out
what a
property’s full risk rate
will
be?
Answer:
Of
the many
factors
that
determine
the
full risk rate
of a
structure,
the single most
important is
the
elevation
of the structure in relation
to
the
Base Flood
Elevation (BFE).
A community’s
Flood Insurance
Rate
Map (FIRM) indicates
the
area
of
the community
that
has a
1%
or greater
annual chance
of
flooding.
That
area
is called
the
Special
Flood
Hazard
Area,
or high-risk
zone.
Put
another way, the
BFE is
the
elevation
where
there
is a
1%
or greater
annual chance
of
flooding.
For a
property in
the
high-risk
zone,
you
need
to
know the
elevation
of the structure in relation
to
the
BFE.
Generally, the
higher
the
elevation
above
the
BFE,
the
lower the
flood risk.
The information
is shown
on
an
Elevation Certificate,
which
is a
form
completed
and signed
by a licensed
engineer
or surveyor.
So
to
determine
the
premium
for a
property in a
high-risk
zone,
you
first
need
an
elevation certificate.
Then,
an
insurance
agent can calculate
the
premium
based
on
the
amount
of coverage
desired.
9. What percentage
of
policies
nationwide,
and
in
high risk zones,
actually receives these subsidized rates?
Answer: More
than
80
percent
of
policyholders (representing
approximately
4.48 million
of the
5.6 million
policies
in force)
do
not
pay subsidized rates.
About
20 percent
of
all
NFIP
policies pay subsidized rates. However,
only 5
percent
of policyholders –
those subsidized
policies covering
non-primary residences,
businesses,
and severe repetitive
loss
properties -
will see
immediate increases
to their
premiums.
10. When
will
NFIP Grandfathering
be
eliminated?
Answer:
Currently,
the NFIP
Grandfather
procedure
provides
eligible
property
owners the
option
of
using risk
data
from previous
Flood Insurance
Rate
Maps (FIRMs) if a
policyholder maintained continuous
coverage
through a
period
of a
FIRM revision
or if a
building
was constructed “in compliance” with
the requirements
for
the
zone
and
BFE reflected
on a
previous FIRM.
A provision
of BW-12,
however, requires
FEMA
to
use revised
flood risk
data (zone and
BFE)
after a map revision.
The legislation
provides a
5-year mechanism
to
phase-in
the
new rates.
This
provision
impacts
the
NFIP
Grandfather
procedure
and
will
be
implemented in
the
latter half
of
2014.
Many
of the
precise
details
of this
implementation
are
still
under development.
11.
Is there
any
option for
people
who
are
now in
a flood zone,
did
not
have
substantial
damage,
but now the
BFE
is
10 feet higher than
previously
and face
dramatic rate
increases?
Answer:
FEMA’s
Hazard Mitigation
Assistance (HMA)
programs
provide
funds
for projects
that reduce
the risk to individuals
and
property
from
natural
hazards.
These
programs
enable mitigation measures
to be
implemented
before,
during,
and
after disaster
recovery.
Local
jurisdictions
develop
projects
that
reduce
property
damage
from
future
disasters
and submit
grant
applications
to
the
State.
The
States submit
applications
to
FEMA
based
on
State criteria
and
available
funding.
The HMA
programs include:
•
Hazard Mitigation
Grant
Program (HMGP)
- provides
grants
to implement
long-term hazard mitigation measures
after a major
disaster declaration.
The
purpose
of
HMGP
is to reduce
the loss
of
life
and
property
due
to
natural
disasters
and
to
enable mitigation measures
to
be implemented
during recovery
from a
disaster.
•
Flood Mitigation
Assistance (FMA) -
program
provides
funds on
an
annual
basis so
that measures can
be
taken
to reduce
or eliminate risk
of
flood damage
to
buildings insured
under
the
NFIP.
•
Pre-Disaster
Mitigation
Program (PDM) -
provides nationally competitive
grants
for hazard mitigation
plans
and
projects
before a
disaster
event.
States can receive
PDM
funds regardless
of
whether
or
not
there
has
been a
disaster declared
in
that state.
FEMA
encourages
property
and
business
owners interested in
implementing mitigation
activities
to contact
their
local community
planning,
emergency management,
or State
Hazard
Mitigation
Officer
for more information.
Individuals
and
businesses may
not
apply
directly
to
the
State
or FEMA,
but eligible
local
governments may
apply
on
behalf
of a
private
entity.
Your community will
be
working
with
the
State
to
develop
applications
for
HMA funding
and
implement
the approved mitigation
projects.
Information
about
the
HMA programs can
be
found
at
FIRM Zones
FIRMs show different floodplains with different zone
designations. These are primarily for insurance rating purposes, but the
zone differentiation can be very helpful for other floodplain management
purposes. The more common zones are listed in Figure 3-10.
|
Zone A |
The 100-year or base floodplain. There are
six types of A Zones:
A The base
floodplain mapped by approximate methods, i.e., BFEs are not
determined. This is often called an unnumbered A Zone or an
approximate A Zone.
A1-30 These are known as numbered A Zones (e.g.,
A7 or A14). This is the base floodplain where the FIRM shows a BFE
(old format).
AE The
base floodplain where base flood elevations are provided. AE Zones are
now used on new format FIRMs instead of A1-A30 Zones. (Santa Venetia)
AO The base floodplain with
sheet flow, ponding, or shallow flooding.
Base flood depths (feet
above ground) are provided.
AH Shallow flooding
base floodplain. BFEs are provided.
A99 Area to be protected
from base flood by levees or Federal Flood Protection Systems under
construction. BFEs are not determined.
AR The base
floodplain that results from the decertification of a previously
accredited flood protection system that is in the process of being
restored to provide a 100-year or greater level of flood protection. |
|
Zone V and VE |
V
The coastal area subject to a velocity hazard (wave action) where BFEs
are not determined on the FIRM.
VE The
coastal area subject to a velocity hazard (wave action) where BFEs are
provided on the FIRM. |
|
Zone B and Zone X (shaded) |
Area of moderate flood hazard, usually the area between
the limits of the 100- year and 500-year floods. B Zones are also used
to designate base floodplains of lesser hazards, such as areas
protected by levees from the 100-year flood, or shallow flooding areas
with average depths of less than one foot or drainage areas less
than 1 square mile. |
|
Zone C and Zone X (unshaded) |
Area of minimal flood hazard, usually depicted on FIRMs
as above the 500- year flood level. Zone C may have ponding and local
drainage problems that don’t warrant a detailed study or designation
as base floodplain. Zone X is the area determined to be outside the
500-year flood and protected by levee from 100-year flood. |
|
Zone D |
Area of undetermined but possible flood hazards. |
Figure 3-10: Flood Insurance Rate Map Zones
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/floodplain/is_9_complete.pdf Page 107
Note that
the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) includes
only A and V Zones. |
